Expert: William Forster - 9/6/2007

Question
My daughter just bought a 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse (Red) and the front bumper has a gouge out of the middle.  It doesn't go all the way through and we don't want to spend much (like replacing the whole thing).  I've seen bumper repair kits online, but some talk about the material the bumper is made of.  What is the bumper on that made of, and what is the best method of doing a home repair.  We really can't afford to take it in. The bumper is red like the car.

Answer
First, clean the entire bumper cover with bug melt, or a similar bug removal product. Then, clean it with mineral spirits to remove any wax or tar. if it's just a gouge, just use a little regular body filler. it' cheaper and easier to work with than bumper repair material. Scuff the damaged area with 150 grit paper, apply filler, sand it down with 150 on a sanding block, primer it with some rattle can primer- keep the repair and primer spot as small as possible. Then, go to a professional auto paint store and tell them what you are doing. They should be able to fix you up as far paint and a paint code goes. You can purchase a special sprayer to paint it, it's similar to using a rattle can. You attach this spray can attachment to a little jar, and it sprays the color without having to have an air compressor. I suggest doing a spot job, don't try to refinish the entire bumper this way. try to feather the paint out, don't stop abruptly where you blend it. Once dry, rub the blended area with a little rubbing compound on a clean rag. Good luck! Bill